Salem Witch Trials

Two couples who adopted somewhat older kids in foster-care have been indited by Michigan's Dana Nessel for "...dozens of children who were removed from previously abusive biological homes and subjected the children to prolonged routine and systemic mental and physical abuse under the guise of discipline," Nessel said in a statement."  Source

It will cost the two families tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to fend off the State's criminal charges whether they are guilty or innocent.

The fact that the State Attorney General is holding press conferences before any  of the trials and potentially poisoning any chance of empaneling a "Fair and Impartial" jury is telling. She is holding these press conferences before the "suspects" are in custody.

A secondary effect of the high profile (dare we suggest "politically motivated"?) case is that publicity, the wording of the criminal-charges and the trial-by-press will dry-up the supply of families willing to adopt difficult-to-place kids and is likely to do the same for people willing to supply foster-care.

It is generally accepted that even children who are adopted at birth have to deal with "separation" issues like "Why did my birth mother not want me?"

Statistically, children who are adopted have higher rates of certain clusters of symptoms of mental illness. Not every adopted child has these symptoms but something like 3 or 4 TIMES more than the general population. Those symptoms can be related to lack of impulse control, inability to appropriately discount the probability of adverse consequences in the face of immediate pleasure, difficulty in bonding and feeling empathy for others.

One mental-health profession suggests that almost 40% of children diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder are adopted children*.

Sometimes a parent of an adopted child must really "turn up the volume" on regularity, frequency and amplitude of discipline before the child will respond.

So let me go on records as saying that perhaps there is merit in the charges BUT there is a metric-ton of possibility that special-circumstances are being manipulated and willfully misinterpreted for political reasons**.

*The mental-health industry is divided on whether it is appropriate to diagnose children younger than 17 with Personality Disorders. One camp thinks that many of the "symptoms" of that cluster of disorders are normal phases of maturing. Yes, lack-of-empathy is something most 7th graders experience as they push away from their families and try to join a new tribe.

The tricky thing for the mental health professional is to determine when a normal stage becomes pathological and, unfortunately, the professionals' history and values tint their perspectives.

**"The couples, who both live in the Michigan town of DeWitt, conspired to adopt the kids through Joel Brown, who once worked for Michigan Department of Health and Human Service's children's services agency. "

It begs the question, why did Mr Joel Brown leave the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services? If it an involuntary separation then why was he allowed to have a license to practice as a Social Worker?

Yes, in Michigan, you are required to have a license with the State to practice as a Social Worker.

Even if he was separated due to a "disability" his license should have been reviewed. Some disabilities like traumatic brain injuries impact the victim's ability to make judgements.

So, where was the Department of Licensing in this mess? Were they taking-care-of-their-own by not monitoring a former colleagues with the same scrutiny that they are required to by Michigan statutes?